Text description provided by the architects. A Heritage-Inspired Streetscape Centerpiece – Located on a key east-west CBD axis, the design forms the centerpiece of the entire street elevation through a rhythmic play of materiality, combining an interpretation of history and modernity. Incorporating a heritage-inspired contemporary sculpted sandstone facade and warm, technology-enabled interior.
There is also a nod to the modernist form of the ever-enduring MLC center directly across the road, via organically shaped sandstone beams. The warm textures of the internal lobby and the play of light emanating across the sandstone will enhance this both in the day and night conditions, culminating in a reinvigorated presence for 135 King Street. The Sydney CBD has undergone a resurgence of commercial activity resulting in an increased offering of new Premium and A-Grade office towers and 135 King Street is a prime example of such a repositioning.
Positioned at a threshold that defines the commercial and retail precincts, the building alterations reconnect with the public domain and its contextual history while providing its tenants with a premium lobby and third space. A portal frame element acts as the primary organizing piece and the first layer of a hierarchically layered sandstone façade concept that is commensurate with the scale and proportion of the existing street building rhythm. This sandstone element is presented as a vertically scalloped form and pays homage to the contextual heritage that aligns the street – and is a nod to the modernist and brutalist form of the ever-enduring MLC center directly across the way.
Bronze materiality used externally also transitions internally via vertically proportioned paneling that gently transforms into a large digital screen. This “ribbon” feature accentuates the lobby’s height and provides an opportunity for a playful kinetic expression and interaction, and from the outside, provides a glimpse of the internal mood of the lobby. A dramatic pendant light within the lobby, dubbed internal Rain acts as a mesmerizing bespoke light that is a defining centerpiece of space. Its carefully orchestrated chaos mirrors the pulse of the bustling café and lobby, creating a shimmering rain-like cascade throughout the lobby.
The strong proportion and scale defined by the elevational composition of the built form combined with the warm textures and layering of the external and internal materiality will enhance both the day and night conditions, culminating in a reinvigorated presence for 135 King Street. The proposed scheme forms the centerpiece of the entire street elevation through a rhythmic play of materiality, combining an interpretation of history and modernity, with Sandstone celebrated as the hero element.
Text description provided by the architects. Sydney Metro is Australia’s biggest infrastructure project. When complete, Sydney will have 31 metro stations and more than 66 kilometres of new metro rail, delivering a world-class transport solution for a global city. Serving 96 percent of Sydney’s train services, Central Station forms the backbone of the entire rail network. The upgrade has the capacity to accommodate 40,000 metro passengers every hour – a 60 percent increase on current capacity.
Courtesy of Woods Bagot
This once-in-a-century upgrade has been delivered by Laing O’Rourke and designed by Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan Partners. Woods Bagot Principal and Transport Lead John Prentice says, “The design vision and approach place the customer experience at the center of the transformation.”
“The implementation of open spaces such as the new Northern Concourse roof and finishes and Central Walk significantly improves circulation and station legibility, resulting in a station design that is easy and intuitive for all customers, irrespective of the mode of travel used.”
Courtesy of Woods Bagot
“The new metro and concourse insertions are designed to be purposeful, functional, and sculpturally rich to complement the historic qualities of the original station. The selection of materials establishes the proposals into their local context and provides a civic quality to the new station works,” Prentice adds.
Courtesy of Woods BagotCourtesy of Woods Bagot
The centerpiece of the upgrade is the construction of two new metro platforms strategically positioned beneath existing Intercity platforms 13 and 14. This addition creates a crucial interchange, linking the new metro with existing suburban, intercity, and regional rail services.
Courtesy of Woods Bagot
Another key feature of the upgrade is the new Central Walk, a 19-metre-wide underground concourse designed to ease congestion and improve pedestrian flow. The walkway connects Chalmers Street and the Sydney Light Rail directly to the new metro platforms as well as providing easier access to platforms 16-23. Central Walk includes the installation of escalators and lift access to the Suburban platforms for the first time.
Courtesy of Woods BagotCourtesy of Woods Bagot
Global Design Director Domenic Alvaro says, “The elemental and material choices for Central are anchored by a deep nostalgia for Sydney’s history. The seamless commuter experience made possible by people-centric design rivals iconic train stations in major cities around the world – creating a station Sydney (and Australia) deserves.”
Courtesy of Woods BagotCourtesy of Woods Bagot
Unifying the station upgrade is the new North-South Concourse and refurbished Northern Concourse. It replaces dark pedestrian tunnels with a light-filled public room in the tradition of the world’s great train halls. New connections dramatically improve orientation and navigation for users and permeability between the surrounding precincts is enhanced.
Courtesy of Woods BagotCourtesy of Woods Bagot
Director of McAslan + Partners’ Sydney studio, Troy Uleman, says, “The reimagined Northern Concourse has created a new heart for Central that respects the station’s existing Edwardian architecture. The new roof sensitively intersects and contrasts with the heritage sandstone buildings whilst kite-shaped skylights create a unique sense of place.”
Courtesy of Woods BagotCourtesy of Woods Bagot
Through clever design and industry collaboration, the new Central Station Metro has achieved a 6-Star Green Star Design and As Built rating certification. The refurbished station above has achieved a Leading Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating. The new metro offers significantly reduced travel times through its driverless train network, with a 4-minute trip to Martin Place, 9 minutes to North Sydney and just 15 minutes to Chatswood from Central Station.
Powerhouse, Australia’s largest museum institution dedicated to applied arts design, and technology, has revealed the plans for a comprehensive restoration of its three sites located in Sydney, Australia, in addition to the opening of a new site in Parramatta in Western Sydney in 2025. The Powerhouse Ultimo site contains two heritage-listed buildings: the Ultimo Powerhouse and the Ultimo Post Office. The project for the renovation of this heritage location is led by a team of architects, Durbach Block Jaggers working in partnership with Architectus, Youssofzay + Hart, and landscape architects, Tyrell Studio.
The proposed design aims to revive the former industrial structures and transform them into spaces for exhibitions and museum programming. The revitalization process includes the addition of over 2,000 square meters of public spaces, improvements to the streetscape to accommodate housing for the creative industries within the museum, and new dedicated spaces for the Powerhouse learning program, which offers workshops, events and activities for students and learners of all ages.
The design scheme prioritizes flexibility while ensuring the international standard for exhibition spaces. Large-volume spaces are created, utilizing the potential of the existing structures. These spaces are created through the removal of mezzanines while maintaining the external structure. Back-of-house operational spaces in the museum, including a new landing dock, are provisioned in an area separate from visitor circulation and front-of-the-house spaces to ensure optimal space for museum operations. Additionally, dedicated community and learning spaces are included in the scheme.
By repositioning the museum entrance at the Goods Lane, the visitor circulation is improved, thus contributing to the legibility of spaces throughout. Additional entry points are provided along the surrounding streets. The design also creates additional exterior spaces in the form of a new public square welcoming visitors to the new museum entrance.
In 2022, contemporary art museum Powerhouse Ultimo organized an architectural design competition for the revitalization of its galleries, as part of the New South Wales Government’s substantial investment in the cultural infrastructure. The Australian team comprised of Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity, and Arup were announced as the winners, marking the first phase of the development of this large-scale project.
Text description provided by the architects. Transformed from its beginnings as a community church and theatre, The Church has undergone a remarkable rejuvenation, emerging as a three-level contemporary dwelling that seamlessly blends modern living with the historic charm of its heritage-listed brick and sandstone façade. Preserving the integrity of the original building, The Church successfully maintains its historic exterior while introducing a modern aesthetic within. The architectural intervention delicately navigates the balance between tradition and contemporary design, employing thoughtful reinterpretation through geometries, material selection, and lighting.
By adhering to the existing footprint, The Church provides a spacious interior with an impressive volume. The architectural response artfully contrasts traditional and contemporary elements, breathing new life into the structure while honoring its historical roots. Minimal partitions, floating mezzanine levels, and modified glazing contribute to a bright and airy atmosphere within the once-dormant building. The introduction of expansive glazed arches in the new glazing mirrors the format and scale of existing fenestration, framing picturesque views of the garden, harbor, and sky. This design choice preserves the original rhythm of the exposed roof structure, complemented by the enduring presence of brickwork buttresses and the rich patina of timber trusses.
In a thoughtful nod to the essence of a church, the heart of The Church’s new dwelling is the kitchen, strategically positioned to command attention, much like an altar in a religious setting. The centrally aligned kitchen island becomes a focal point, accentuating the volume of space with its soaring height and consistent materials. The island’s curved corners pay homage to the arched windows, creating a visual connection to the brick bonds behind. The adaptive transformation from a community theatre to a private residence necessitated a reimagining of the interior program and a corresponding shift in architectural response. Strategic insertions into the once cavernous plan and the anchoring of key social and private spaces have reshaped the once civic volume into a home where domestic life unfolds seamlessly.
A deliberate balance between built-in joinery and carefully selected furniture establishes a clear hierarchy of programs within the space. This design approach not only reflects the progressive lifestyle of the occupants but also supports their domestic ambitions, creating a residence that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. In conclusion, The Church stands as a testament to the successful marriage of historic preservation and contemporary design, offering a unique and vibrant living space that honors its past while embracing the future.
The urban heat island effect occurs when pavements, roads, and buildings absorb the sun’s heat and radiate it back, causing the temperature to increase and preventing the city from cooling down. With the growing reliance on cars in cities, the number of urban car park spaces is also increasing to accommodate buildings. This has resulted in the conversion of large areas of pervious land covered with vegetation into impervious hard surfaces for more car parks. The use of materials like asphalt, combined with the lack of shade, reflective steel surfaces of parked cars, and loss of greenery in these extensive car parks, contributes to the amplification of high-temperature effects and extreme heat events, making urban spaces uncomfortable. This transformation is impacting the climate of car-dependent regions and calls for collaborative ideas and efforts to mitigate the negative effects of rising heat.
Urban areas, such as cities, tend to be warmer than natural areas. This is mainly due to the different properties of the materials used in the construction of roads, pavements, and buildings compared to natural land cover. At-grade car parks, in particular, contribute to the urban heat island effect and impact microclimates. They are often unshaded, made of heat-retaining asphalt, widespread, uniform, and large.
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Research from the University of Western Sydney sheds light on the role of asphalt car parks in exacerbating the urban heat island effect. Asphalt has a high heat retention capacity, leading to increased temperatures in the microclimate during both day and night. To combat this, the report titled “Despicable Urban Spaces: Urban Car Parks” by Dr. Sebastian Pfautsch highlights effective cooling techniques for urban car parks.
The foundational solution for cooling down existing car parks is to replace the materials used. This includes reducing the area covered by impermeable black asphalt, coating the remaining asphalt areas with reflective surface sealants, increasing open spaces with permeable pavements, and using solar reflective and porous surface materials. Implementing these strategies will transform impermeable car park surfaces into pervious ones, creating a cooler atmosphere.
Green Spaces
Trees have numerous benefits, such as providing shade to reduce heat exposure and helping us withstand hotter temperatures. When these trees are aggregated and form parklands, they not only provide local cooling but also minimize the impact of heat on people. To manage the impact of increased urban temperatures, it is important to create more thermal oases within urban car parks. Dr. Sebastian Pfautsch emphasizes in his report that car parks should be designed in a way that preserves existing trees and strategically utilizes them as tree canopies for shade. Other methods to cool down urban spaces include transplanting trees to existing car parks, planting new trees, and introducing green infrastructure for strategic shading. It is also beneficial to identify tree species that thrive in sparse urban spaces. Urban car parks can greatly benefit from climate-adapted tree species with wide, dense crowns to provide shade over larger areas.
The growing number of unshaded car parks, particularly on the urban fringe, is a symbol of our failure to create communities fit for the 21st century. They reflect an unwillingness to stop outdated and unsustainable urban sprawl and associated car dependency. Worse, these spaces will be with us for decades. In a warming world, improving the design of new and existing car parks is essential. Regulations and guidelines need updating. Shadeless, heat-radiating car parks must become relics of the past. Dr Sebastian Pfautsch
Similar to green spaces, blue infrastructure refers to water bodies such as ponds, rivers, and dams, which can effectively reduce temperatures. Integrating water features with green spaces can further contribute to the cooling of surrounding areas. By strategically placing blue infrastructures alongside greenery and wind corridors, the breeze that passes over the water bodies is cooled and carries this cooling effect to nearby areas. Additionally, blue infrastructure can be utilized as irrigation systems for green infrastructure in car parks. These systems can be active or passive, functioning as fountains or mist infrastructure to lower temperatures in car park areas.
Individual solutions to cool down car parks, when implemented within poor climate-responsive urban planning, would not be effective. The temperature regulation in urban areas is greatly influenced by urban design and planning decisions. Designing street canyons to promote shade and ventilation can reduce local air and surface temperatures, improve outdoor thermal comfort, and play a key role in cooling our cities and people. When it comes to car parks, they should be integrated into the urban system, serving multiple buildings in an area and allowing room for more green infrastructure. Climate-responsive policies specific to car parks’ urban planning should also be implemented. This involves making design decisions that prioritize cool urban spaces, walkability, and eco-friendly cities.
Furthermore, urban design that incorporates open spaces, strategic building positioning, and a combination of blue infrastructure and greenery can facilitate natural cooling and help dissipate heat in cities. In Singapore’s urban planning, networks of wind corridors demonstrate how thoughtful planning can create a mutually beneficial relationship between thermal oases and ventilation. Similarly, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the sea breeze effectively cools the area, while in the western suburbs, creating ponds and parks can have a similar cooling effect on the breezes that flow through the area.
To further reduce the impact of car park heat on urban microclimates, several other singular measures can be implemented. One approach is to use solar panels to shade car parks, which not only provides relief from the heat but also generates renewable energy. Another strategy is to implement green or living facades for multi-level parking lots, incorporating vegetation to cool the area. Infrastructure for active and public transportation can also limit car use, reducing the number of cars in parking lots. Conducting occupancy surveys can help identify the optimal size of car parks and available space for cooling mechanisms. Transforming unused car parks into green spaces or parks can contribute to cooling urban areas and providing more greenery. Additionally, increasing smart and shared parking options for both private and business use can help alleviate the heat impact of car parks. These strategies demonstrate the need for a multi-faceted approach to address the issue of cooling down large urban car parks. Moreover, considering high technological solutions like urban air conditioning and smart cooling transfer can further mitigate the negative effects of rising heat and effectively cool down urban car parks.
